Device for transmitting power at alpha variable ratio



Jan. 12, 1932.

s. WELTY DEVICE FOR TRANSMITTING POWER AT A VARIABLE RATIO Filed Feb. 15, 1930 s Sheets-Slieet 2 INVENTOR A TTORNE y Jan. 12, 1932. E. s. WELTY 1,841,263

DEVICE FOR TRANSMITTING POWER-AT A VARIABLE RATIO.

Filed Feb 15, 1930 s Sheets-Sheet 3 11v VENTOR ATTORNEY inent higher speed gears 'may be connected by operating other clutches; Should an ah-; ,normalloa'dbe put on the driven shaft and accelerator and the braking meansmay more safely and efiiciently be operated onlywhen Patented Jan. 12, 1932 V GUARDIAN or sAID EDGAR smnL-nvjwnmrv, VIVTINORLASSIEIGNQBEOI pan-am no WILLIAM enamnn, or Kansas o'I'rY tiresome:

EDGAR SHIRLEY WELTY, ,orfxansnsf crry mssjwm; s."

v nnvren roe mlmm m m;atiaivmnmame hppl icationfilfid mam 15 1930', w rm. 428,330: 7'

' invention relates to power transmissiondevicesand more partieularlyto transm s; sions including gear shifting means such as" the transmission of an antoanotivevehicle, Automobile and like machines usually in clude a driving shaft aetuatedby'an engine, adriven shaft adapted-to operate the wheels of the automobil andla plurality of sets of gears which may be independently connected tothe driving'shaft for effecting movement of the driven shaft at speeds havin'gdefinite ratio'to the speed ofthiefidrivingshaft,a The engine lSOIdlnaIllfY allowed tospeedup whe'n the vehicle is started,- and afgear having a relatively low ratio with respect to the speed of the driving shaft is op'eratedso that initial moven1ent of the vehicle will be at relatively:

lo speed and stalling of the engine will be prevented."

When the vehicle'has been put into-move:

tend to check thespeedfof' moveinentfo-f the driving shaft, for example when the vehicle is moving upwardly on a grade,v the operator i must ordinarily change gearsto prevent s'tall ing of the engine, and contrarlly whenxthe vehicle is moving under the influence ofgmvity down a grade, gears must be'niannally operated to control the speed of the vehicle. It is further wellknownthat athrottle valve leading from the carburetor to the en nine of an automobileis operable by the dr1v er of thejmachine 'independentlyilof the clutches, and the .driver therefore, may ace celerate the speed of the engine, greatlybe yond saf conditionsfor applying a gear clutch and mayinadvertently oper'ate one or another clutch when the'speed of the engine and driving shaft arelnot suitably adjusted tothe ratio of the gear thus connected. v

It is further Well known that means -for braking the wheels or'dri ven shaft of anv an? toinobile are operable} independently 0f clutches and transmission-gears and of acceL erator operating mechanism, whereas both the transmission is in a condition 150 pernfiit .SUCh'OPBIatIOH.

The -principal objects of: my invention 7 therefore, are'to effect variation in the ratio of the speed of a drivenshaft and adri'ving shaft in accordance with most effective draw ing relation between'the shafts to automati- Cally bringv about clntching relation between a dr ving shaftanda driven shaft when the drlving shaft has attained: predetermined speed, to facilitate ad jnstinentof thespeed up between "the driving shaft' andfthe driven shafg to provide a transmission betweenga drivlng shaft-and a driven shaft adapted 'to perniit thedriving shaft toojperate' at normal speedwhen snfiieientxresistanoe is offered to the dr venshaft, and fto 'e'ifect antomatie adi justinent 'oftlie ratio of "speed between a drivingshaft adrivenshaft corresponding to changes -1ni resistance exerted against the driven. shaft;

"In. accomplishing these and jotherlobjects ratio'at which driving connection will be set I of the invention, I 'haveprovided improveddetails of strueturaxthe preferred fornisfoff whichanfe 'illiistrated in thegaccompanying Q drawings,wherein:

Fig. .15 is afperspective ne partlyin see.

shown fragnientafily.

Fig. '21s a verticallon gi'tndinal central 7 sec'tion thronghthe transmission, 7

n 'Fig. is a 'crosssec'tion of friction clutch members mounted on the .driven shaftdfor Controlling planetaryfiniovel nelifii 0f pl anetary gears,

4 Fig.4. is aidretai speav aw of mks] operjableby weightedgovernors for operating h fri t on dut nism 2 r 'ti n of 'a'transmi-ssion constructed in1-accordance with my invention, driving and driven shafts. and anaccelerator operating rod Fig-5 5; is a sectionI.on-,the;line 5 5, I.

Eigljfi i sjay similar section illnstratingcluteh;

eratio-nfx the powerfsha fti a Re 7 6 1a bt e he line illustrating. "clutch mechanism for effecting reverseoperation ofjt'he power shaft. i Fig. 81 i a erspective evieyvof a,; sleeve i-ngxniechanisn position for a forward opat g f V member of the friction clutch mechanism slidable on the driven shaft. 1 Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of a cllar slidably keyed on the driven shaft for anchoring a spring whereby the sliding clutch member is returned to non-operative position.

Referring in detail to the drawings:

1 I designates a driving shaft supported in a suitable mannerand adapted to be operated byan engine or .the like, and having an end recess 2, and 3 a driven shafthavi'ng a reducedend 4 in said recess, bearings 5 being mounted in the driving shaft to retain the shafts rotatably in true alignment. Outer end ofithe' driven shaft is s'hownjournaled in bearings 6 mounted in a supporting structure 7 A housing or. gear case 8 surrounding the driven shaft has an internal radial flange 9 secured to the supporting member 7, and an opening 10 in its opposite end to admit the driving shaft to the driven shaft, and is shaped conformably to transmission elements and operating members presentlyqdescribed for containing and supporting the same.

gl ixed to a radial flange 11 on the driving 7 shaft-Vat theopening 10'is a fiy wheel 12 provided with an internal'ring or orbit gear 13 meshedfwith planet gears licompmsmg a set of planetary gears rotatable-on stub a shafts'15 fixed in a ring 16 surrounding the driven shaft and having an inner periphery spaced from'the driven shafttoaccommodate gear engaging members presently described. I Formed on the'outer face of the ring 16,

7 used to efiect forward operation'of the am;

en shaft a s'la ter described, arezinclined radial teeth '17 forming a beveled ring gear keyed to the housing, and a similar bevel.

adapted to mesh with radial bevel pinions-18 rotatably mount-ed on posts 19 fixed to a ring ring gear 20 rotatable in bearings 21 in the housing, also engages the pinions 18 whereby reverse operation of the driven. shaft may be effected. "When the planetary gears are conditioned for planetary movement about the shaft, the ring 16 will drive the driven shaft forwardly or reversely at ,the same flywheel, and a ring 24 rotating freely over the inner peripheryof the fly wheel has a series of radial teeth 25 adjacent one edge projecting, into the recess 23 and forming a sun gear constantlyineshed with the small planet gears 22 and adapted to beffrictionally clutched tothe driven shaft by clutch members 26 and 27' as presently described.

The

The clutch member 26 illustrated in Fig. 8 comprises a sleeve having internal lugs 28 slidable in longitudinal grooves 29 in the driven shaft whereby the sleeve is keyed to the shaft, and external longitudinal ribs 30 provided with cam faces 31 and 32 at opposite ends of the sleeve, while the clutch members 27 comprise shoes having longitudinal internal grooves 33 for mounting *the same on'the'ribs, the bottoms of the grooves having cam faces 34 and 35 at opposite ends of thke shoe conforming to the. cam faces on the r1 s.

The sleeve is spaced from the driven shaft to accommodate a spring 36 hearing against the lugs to urge the sleeve away from clutch enforcing position and anchored by a collar 37 at the opposite, end of the sleeve having lugs 38 sliding in the shaft grooves. The collar is retained in spring anchoringposition by a plurality of'rods 39 shown as three in number, located in the grooves 29 and having reduced ends latched in notches in the collar to enable the collar to hold the rods in the grooves, and extending toward the outer end of the shaft. 7 A rodshifting collar 40 mounted 'on the driven shaft and bearing against the outer ends of the rods is operable by .a lever 41 extending upwardly through a housing wall portion 42, and having rounded bosses 43 located in sockets 44 in said wall portion, whereby the lever may be pivoted to move the rods and vary the tension of the spring.

The sleeve 26 is movable against the tension .of the spring to 'move the'cain faces thereof over the cam faces of the shoes for expanding the circle in which the shoes lie and engaging the same with. the free ring 24;, by governors 45 swingingly mounted on pivots 46 'fixed'to the inner face of the fly wheel hub and having segmental racks 47 engaging racks 48 on a ring e9 slidable on the driving shaft and having a radial end flange or collar 50ada-pted to bear against the end of the sleeve when thegovernors swing about the driving shaft and oscillate on their pivotal, supports 46 responsively to rotation of the fly wheel. 4 I r The governorsare substantially weighted and'adapted to swing in recesses 51 formed in the flywheelwhile bearings 52 are interposed between the collar 50 of the ring 49 and the end of the sleeve to permit the collar to rotate freely over the end of the sleeve, the collar and sleeve end beinwformed to provide recesses-to accommodate the bearings. The spring thereforeretains thesleeve in engagement with the collar to retain thebearings and shift the'collar for returning the governors to retracted position in the recesses.

Thefmeans above referred to for rendering the ring 16 efiective for bringing about for ward movement of the driven shaft, that'is to say, rotation of the driven shaft in a direction to effect forward movement'of a'vehicle,

comprises a clutching orlratchet mechanism, segmental shoes 53 having centrally located radial apertured lugs 5 L pivotally mounted on pins 55 in internal ears 56 on the ring 16 and adapted for end to end abutment as clearly shown in .Fig. 5,. and similar smaller segmental shoes 57 seatedin the first named shoes having centrally located apertured-lugs rocking movement on the pivot pins.

Springs 61 anchored in recesses=62 in the ring 16' bear against similar ends of'the outer shoes and tend to move saidends inwardly toward the shaft. The ends of the shoes of both sets have beveled corners as indicated at 63, to prevent contact of sharp corners'of one set of 7 shoes with corners of shoes of the other set when the sets rotate relatively, to each other.

The shoes are retainedin circularpositiom,

whereby the ring-engaged: shoes may rotate over the shaft-supported shoes, by rods 64:

slidab-le in longitudinal grooves 65 inu'the driven shaft and having humps or bosses 66 adapted toengage lugs:6 7 on the shoes. 57 so that when thebosseslieu'nderthe lugs, the shoes will be latched against the tension of the springs; The rods are reciprocablebyh lever 67 similar to the lever ahengagingacollari 68 'pivotallvconnected to the outer ends of sai'drods. Whenthe bosses areshiftecl away from the lugs, the springs may operate, to

rockthe shoes, an'd'thej ends of the inner shoes will abut against the ends'of the outer shoes to loclrthe shaft to the ring 16, and g I e puta'fdeslred amount of tensionon the spr ng p 1 its tion for rotating the-driving shaftl, the rotating; fiy iwheel and internal gear -thereo-n" effect forward movement of the driven shaft; A reverse clutch ratchet mechanism includes-similar sets of outer shoes 69 pivotally mounted on pins 70- supported by 5 internal ears 71-of the ring 20,'and inner. shoes72 are mounted on the pins 59 in the shaft and provided with internallugs 7 3 engageable by aforesaid bosses 66 on the rods .64 for rocking the shoes to retain the shoes in circular position or restore them to such position, .springs 74 similar to the springs 61 being provided to rock the sets of shoes and'efi'ectengagement therebetween for locking the ring 20 to the driven shaftQ v The .ring16 constantly meshed with the I bevel pinions'18 rotates the same in one direction, to effect rotation of'the ring 20 in the opposite direction, so that when the ring'QQ- n is clutched to the driven shaft, 'said shaft is rotated reversely. v V I further provide for efl'ectingcooperation between the means. abovedesc'rib'ed for controlling the operation and speed-of the driven sh aft, and other controlling elementsof amachine, as an example, the structure of'an'auto mobile including a reciprocatingaccelerator rod 75 for .operatlng-the throttlei wherebyable to apply brakes to plication of actuating power. to the automobile, acrank arm 76-.pivoted togsaid rod for j;-

shifting the same,.and'a* brake rod 77 rctat= T the wheels of the automobile. I

f A shaft 57s keyed in. the at ofthe crank 7 6 and rotatable to operate therod75is' keyed in-a bearing 7 9 on the end of a crank 80.

pivotally connected by link '81 tothe end of. the lever .41, whereby'rotativemovement of the shaft 78,for eXampleZby a pedal, will coincidently'move the accelerator .rod toalter.

the rate of delivery of fueljandoperate:th'e

lever to vary-theitension of the sp ing Theshaft rod 75 and lever are so connected that tension ofthe spring will be increased when delivery of fuel isincreased, 'an'dvice versa.-

Loosely mountedon the shaft '7 8 is' afsleeve 82 having an arm 83 pivotally connected to thebrake rod and an arm 84" extending angularly to the arm 83and adapted to encounter,

the'crank when the brake is ope'ratedto move the lever 41 for increasing tension on the spring 36, whereby the spring will be tensioned to limit or suspend operation of, l the clutching sleeve 26 when'the brake is ap} plied to suspend operation of amachine oper- I ated bythe engine, and tension of the spring may'not be relieved while the brake'is set.v

:In operating mechanism constructed as described the engineer, orgdriver of a vehicle t a 160 a i. lever 67? toinitially set up engagementrof 1 f one .or; the 'oth'er of the rings 16? or 20, with provided with the mechanism, will operate the" the drivenyshaft,-and operate the lever 4; to.

36. The engine having been-put intoop'era meshed with the planetary gears, will cause the gears to rotat-eon their.individualraizes,

fie

namely the shafts supported by thering16, said ring remainingunmoved. 1

The rotation of the dllVlIlg shaft and fly wheel will cause'the governors to swing on T their-pivots andetend to press the ringjett) a a its against the sleeve to. shift the sleeve along the dr ven shaft against the resistance of the spring 36 for .urging the shoes 27 outwardly against ithre Ting 2 effecting gradual; frictional clutch engagement b t e 2 53% nd the sleeve.' 1 r governors;1is controlled throughrods 39 and lever '41,- vwhereby;variation 1n thetensi'on. of the spring may effect variation inthe ratiosv The resistance offered-by the spring. 361-to operation of the frictional jclutch, by the] of force and speed between the .drivingfand tate the ring 16.

' cluding the shoes 53 will rotate the. driven V clutch for 7 unit.

shaft in the same direction as the driving shaft. The inner sun gear 24;, however, initially rotates in the opposite direction to the driving and driven shafts.

As clutch action increases, the ring 24 is first slowed to rest, then gradually in creases rotation in the direction of the fly wheel until the clutch is locked, when the ring 24, the planetary gears and ring 16 will all be rotating. with the driving shaft. The driven shaft having been locked with the ring 16 is now rotating at the same speed as the driving shaft.

For reverse motion, lever 67 is pushed in the opposite direction, thus reciprocating the rods to disengage the ring 16 from the driven shaft and operating the reverse clutch ratchet mechanism to engage the ring 20 with the driven shaft.

p The ring 16, rotated through theplanetary' gears, the motion of which is controlled as above described, rotates the .pinions '18 to rotate the ring 20, and the driven shaft is hus rotated reversely at a speed equal to the speed of planetary movement of the plane-v tary gears. The sun gear, however, is not reversed as above described, for forward movement but slows until it reversesjin the same direction and with the driven shaft.

It is apparent that the ratio of movements of the driving shaft and driven shaft will be in accordance with the comparative pitch diameters of the gears 14 and 22, and the mesh with said planet gear, a friction clutch on the driven shaft engageable with said sun gear, and means responsive to speed of' rotation of the driving shaft controlling the controlling the planetary gear 2., In apparatus of the character described including a drivingshaft, a driven shaft, and a a planetary gear unit including a planet gear 7 rotated by the driving shaft, means for connecting said unit with the driven shaft, a sun gear in operating relation with said planet gear, and resilient adjustable means including friction clutch members related etween the movement of the sun gear respectively tofthe driven shaft and the sun gear controlling the sun gear for controlling the planetary gear unit.

8. In combination with a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a planetary gear unit connected with the driving shaft, andmeans for effecting driving relation betwten said unit and the driven shaft, means responsive to speed of movement of the driving shaft for rendering the planetary. gear unit effective to drive the driven shaft, and resilient means movable relative to the driven shaft for varying the response of said'means to the movement of-the driving shaft.

4. In combination with a driving shaft, a driven shaft, and a planetary gear unit including a planet gear rotated by the driving shaft and a gear engageable with the driven shaft, means including a spring pressed frictionallclutch and a governor responsive to speed of movement of the driving shaft and operative on the clutch for rendering the planetary gear unit effective to drive the driven shaft.

5. In apparatus of the character described, including a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a planetary gear unit including a gear con stantly rotated by the driving shaft, a planet gear support engageable with the driven shaft-pand a planet gear on said support meshed w'ith the first named gear, means for shaft, means responsive to the speed of the driving shaft for controlling the operation of said first named means, and common means controlling said" shaft responsive means and power supplying means.

' 6. In apparatus including a driving shaft, a? driven shaft, and means for supplying power to the driving shaft, a planetary gear unit including a gear constantly rotated by the driving shaft, a planet gear meshed with the first named gear, and a planet gear support engageable with the driven shaft, means for effecting driving relation between the planetary gear unit and the driven shaft,- means responsive to the speed of the driving shaft for controlling the operation of said second named means, and means coincidently controlling said first and third named means.

7. In combination with a driving shaft having a flywheel provided with an orbit gear, a driven shaft, and a planetary gear unit including! a planet gear. constantly meshed with the orbit gear, means for effect ing driving relation between the planetary gear unit and the driven shaft to drive said shaft, and means mounted on the fly wheel and responsive to the speed of the driving shaft for rendering the planetary gear unit eifectiveto rotate the driven shaft. 7

8. In combination with a driving shaft its having afly wheel provided with an internal orbit gear, a driven shaft, "a planetary gear unit including a planet gear constantly meshed with the-orbit gear, and means for efiecting driving relation between the planetary gear unitand'the driven shaft, a sun gear ringconstantly meshed with the plane tary gear unit, a shoe adapted to engage the inner periphery of the ring, and means .in-' cluding a clutch keyed to the driven shaft for pressing the shoe against the ring for ren dering the planetary gear unit effective to rotate the driven shaft. v

9. In combination with a driving shaft having a fly wheel provided with an orbit gear, a driven shaft, a planetary gear unit including a planet gear constantlymeshed with the orbit gear, and means for effecting unit effective to rotate the driven shaft;

10. Apparatus of the character described including a. driving shaft having a fly wheel provided with an orbit gear, a driven shaft, a planet gear constantlymeshed' with the orbit gear, and means for operatively connecting the planet gear with the driven shaft, a second planet gear having smaller pitch diameter than the first named planet gear and keyed thereto, a sun gear ring constantly meshed with the second named planet gear, a clutch engageable. with said sun gear, and means responsive to the, speed of the driving shaft for operating the clutch to renderthe planetary gear unit effective to rotate the driven shaft. I I r 11. In apparatus of the character described including a driving shaft,-a driven shaft, an orbit gear on the driving shaft, a planetary gear unit including a planet gear meshed with said orbit gear, and means for engaging said unit with the driven shaft, a second planet pinion keyed to said planet gear, a ring surrounding thedriven shaft and hav ing peripheral teeth forming a sun gear engaging said pinion, a clutch member slidable on the driven shaft and keyed thereto against 7 rotation thereon, ashoe interposed between the clutch and said ring and adapted to be moved radially by the clutch into. frictional" engagement with the ring to latch the ring slidably to the driven shaft, a spring normally urging said clutch away from said shoe, means responsive to the speed of the driving shaft operating against said spring to effect sliding clutch'rclation between the ring and the driven shaft and meansfor varying the tension ofthe spring to vary the extent of frictional clutch engagement be tween the ring and the driven shaft.

12. In apparatus of the character described planetary gear unit.

including 'aldrivingishaffla "driven shaft; and abrakej rod, a planetary gear unit including aplanet gear connectedto the driven shaft, I

' an orbit, gear meshed with. said= planet; gear 7' and keyed; to the driving ;shaft-,":a-: ring constantly engaged with ltheflzplanet 'gear,

means including a membertresponsive toz 'th'e speedwof the driving shaft and engageablei with said ring for rendering the orbit gear and planetary the driven shaft, and means operated by said brake rod for controlling operation'of saidmeans. v

g 13. In a; device of the character described including a driving shaft, afdriven shaft, and

a planetary unit having means for transmit ting motion of the driving shaft to the driven shaft, a governor having pivotal mounting on the driving shaft, a clutch including. a

member keyed to the driven shaft, and means controlled by the governor for operating the clutch to render the planetary unit effective for transmitting motion to the driven shaft 14. In a deviceof the character described including a drivingshaft, and a member for j controlling delivery of power to-the driving ear unit efiective for rotating- 1 shaft, a driven shaft, a planetary gearnnit' driving shaft engaged wit the planet gear,

and means for connecting the planetary gear 9' unit with the driven shaft, means for rendera ing the planetary gear unit eifective-todrive the driven shaft, and means controlled by said member for controlling said first named means.

a driven shaft, and a planetary gear unitincludmga planet gear rotated by the driving shaft, means including a member on the driven shaft and a member on the-driving 16. In apparatus of the character described, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a planetary gear unit connected with the drive ing shaft, means for connecting said unit with the" driven vshaft, a' sun, gear on the driven shaft in operating relation with said planetary gear unit, clutch mechanism in-\ a I T20 and a member engageablei withthesun gear,' .f

eluding a member slidable on the driven shaft anda member movable on the driving shaft to operate the clutchfor controlling the 17, In-a device ofthe character described including drlving and drlven members and a planetary gear unit having neans for transthe driven member, a gear in operating relat on with sald planetary gear unit, clutch including aplanet gear, a ear driven by the j I V V i inc 15. In combination'with a driving shaft,

mitting motion of the driving member to t means for setting up driving relation between said gear and the drivenmember, means responsive to the speed of the driving member foroperating the clutch, and manually operable means acting against said clutch operating means for resisting the operation of said clutch operating means. 7 a In testimon whereof Iaifix my signature. V ED AR SHIRLEY WELTY. 10' I 

